A virtual universe is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface. Users inhabit and interact in the virtual universe via avatars. This habitation usually is represented in the form of avatars, which are two or three-dimensional graphical representations of humanoids. There are many different types of virtual universes, however there are several features most virtual universes generally have in common:    A) Shared Space: the world allows many users to participate at once.    B) Graphical User Interface: the virtual universe depicts space visually, ranging in style from 2D “cartoon” imagery to more immersive 3D environments.    C) Immediacy: interaction takes place in real time.    D) Interactivity: the virtual universe allows users to alter, develop, build, or submit customized content.    E) Persistence: the virtual universe's existence continues regardless of whether individual users are logged in.    F) Socialization/Community: the virtual universe allows and encourages the formation of social groups such as teams, guilds, clubs, cliques, housemates, neighborhoods, etc.
An avatar can have a wide range of business and social experiences. Such business and social experiences are becoming more common and increasingly important in on-line virtual universes, such as that provided in the on-line world Second Life (Second Life is a trademark of Linden Research in the United States, other countries, or both). The Second Life client program provides its users (also referred to as residents) with tools to view, navigate, and modify the Second Life world and participate in its virtual economy.
Second Life and other on-line virtual universes present a tremendous new outlet for both structured and unstructured virtual collaboration, gaming and exploration, as well as real-life simulations in virtual spaces. Unlike in the physical world, however, in a virtual universe a single user may be represented by multiple avatars simultaneously. This may provide a user with undue benefit, or may provide a user with the ability to be disruptive. One example is applicable to virtual retail stores where certain promotional items are restricted to a certain purchase limit per customer per day. In the case where one user controls multiple avatars, in this scenario the multiple avatars may exhaust store inventory, thus preventing other customers from taking advantage of the sale. This also limits the width of exposure for the sponsoring vendor. In another business scenario in which an item is being auctioned, a user who controls multiple buyer avatars (or an even worse case where the seller of the auction items poses as multiple buyers) can manipulate the situation to their advantage by artificially controlling the price. A further example is related to gaming in a virtual world. For instance, a user may gain an unfair advantage in a virtual game in which the user is controlling a plurality of avatars in the game.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a solution to address these and other deficiencies of the related art.